Inspiration and Expression

Deploy Netbeans Platform based Application using IzPack Installer

So, you just finished creating Netbeans Platform based Application and ready to deploy it to the users. You might be interested to check IzPack Installer.

IzPack is an installers generator for the Java platform. It produces lightweight installers that can be run on any operating system where a Java virtual machine is available. Depending on the operating system, it can be launched by a double-click or a simple java -jar installer.jar from a shell. The most common use is to distribute applications for the Java platform, but you can also use it for other kinds of projects.

This is what we used in Sketsa SVG Editor and Citra FX Photo Effects. Just change the values in the example below to fit your needs.

Note: this is tested on Netbeans 6 and 5.5

Update: this is based on the following folder/file structure

[your-suite-project-folder]
    - [branding]
    - [installer]
        - [icons]
        - [izpack]
            - izpack-install-script.xml
            - Win-shortcutSpec.xml
            - etc (other required izpack resources
                    eg: image, executable file, etc)
        - readme.html
    - [legal]
    - [nbproject]

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Posted in Citra FX, Java, Netbeans, Sketsa | 16 Comments »

SVG Animation Editor Feedback ?

Sketsa SVG Editor 5.0 just released, Now by popular request we are going to develop SVG animation plugins module for the Sketsa. We are stuck at how the UI will flow, do you like the way Adobe Flash Editor, Jasc Webdraw, or you prefer new ways for doing animation editor, etc ?

So we are looking for feedback regarding how the SVG animation plugins will behave (UI Flow), do you have any preferences how things should be done.

Things to consider:

• Since SVG allows deep nested <g> element, how does it will look when you select multiple elements which under different <g> and try to use the timeline editor ?
• Same as above, how do you expect the timeline to behave when you try to re edit the timeline when there are multiple selections with different timing.
• Which one you prefer the SVG animation editor as a plugin for Sketsa or totally different product (because the UI flow is different) ?
• What do you think of proprietary namespace to help the editor ? Currently we are not adding any proprietary namespace at all
• Timeline based or no timeline based ?
• etc, anything to add here ?

Note: UI Flow means editor UI (workflow UI), not the resulting SVG output.

Note: If you like to show screen cast of your favorite features of the existing animation editor, you could use Wink (Free), camtamsia, or screenshots, etc, so we could see it better, sometimes is hard to express things in writing right

If you like to write the feedback in your own blog or webpages, please add the link to the comment section, so we could easily find about it.

Any feedbacks are very appreciated and help us a lot in developing this SVG animation editor.

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Posted in Apache Batik, Sketsa, SVG | 15 Comments »

Sketsa SVG Editor 5.0 Released

Just a quick note, yesterday we just released Sketsa SVG Editor 5.0, a cross platform vector drawing application based on SVG.

What’s new:

• Add command line open options
• Add basic marker support
• Add basic pattern support
• Improvement on Selection Tools
• Improvement on Rotate Tool
• Improvement on DropperTool
• Migrate to Netbeans 6
• Change to NbPreferences
• Fix RotateTool when canvas zoom change
• Fix some under/redo artifacts
• Fix SaveAs bug
• Other bug fixes

For plugins developer, in this release we also add and expose SVG Animation Engine Class

/** Returns the SVGAnimationEngine for the document or null.
 * @return org.apache.batik.bridge.SVGAnimationEngine
 */
VectorCanvas.getAnimationEngine()

Posted in KIYUT, Sketsa, SVG | No Comments »

Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon Experience

Finally, I received my Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon DVD plus 5 DVD of Ubuntu 7.10 Repo for local installation. This 5xDVD Ubuntu Repo could save my time downloading all the required package (Internet Connection is still slow in my area)

Installation

Installation was easy, basically just follow the wizard, *attention* during partition part, because I was using Linux since ~5 years ago, so I already have my own separate home partition. However, after install finish and run ubuntu, I could not login, it throw some error regarding xsession and going back to the login screen. It seem Ubuntu does not like my home folder which contains various settings from Fedora Core 6 eg: .gtk .gnome, etc. Just press ctrl-alt-F2 delete those settings, ctl-alt-F7 login again, now everything is running. Lesson learned: Ubuntu Gnome does not like my existing Fedora Core Gnome.

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Posted in Java, Linux | 3 Comments »

Rich Client Platform (RCP) Why ?

Last week, when I read the Netbeans users mailing list, there was interesting questions “Rich Client Platform (RCP) Why ?

…
the question is why have this at all, whats wrong with Java. Where does Swing end and NB RPC start?
…
I’m looking for an article that compares Java Swing to NB RPC.
I want to know whats different exactly and compare that to Java plus Libraries.
…

First, it is important to diffentiate between RCP and Java plus Libraries. For me Rich Client Platform (RCP) is a set of libraries with tight integration, it is build from ground up to work together as a platform so other application can be build or run on top of it. In contrast, Java plus libraries is a mix and match of libraries to support the application eg: give new features, etc

One main problem with the mix and match style is because that libraries may not be designed to work together, they could be excellent library on its own, but once they integrated together to form a single system (an application), sometimes it may require some glue or bridge code to make them work together. On the other hands for RCP, these set of libraries will work together since it is designed that ways from beginning.

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Posted in Citra FX, Java, Netbeans, Sketsa | 1 Comment »

Netbeans Platform Branding Updater.jar

Another series of Netbeans Platform branding, but this time is branding the updater.jar. Updater.jar is used by Netbeans Platform during modules updates and update tracking and work in conjunction with Auto Update Services.

After the branding of Splash Screen and About Dialog, you can also branding the updater splash image. This image will be shown by Netbeans Platform during module update and require a restart.

Note: this is tested on Netbeans 6 RC1

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Posted in Java, Netbeans, Sketsa | 4 Comments »

Citra FX Photo Filter 2.0 Released

KIYUT just released Citra FX Photo Effects 2.0, an image filter effects for digital photos or images. It allows anyone, regardless of experience, to turn digital images into unique artistic looks. Citra FX comes with many prebuilt filters from color adjustment, contrast, exposure to advanced filters like water ripple, emboss, etc. The result is only limited by your creativity. You also get instant visual feedback on what you changed.

What’s new:

• Add background plain or checkerboard
• Add Boolean Selection, shift key (union) ctrl key (subtract)
• Add command line open options
• Add Filter Blur -> Smart Blur
• Add Filter Blur -> Unsharp Mask
• Add Filter Mask -> Mask Effects and Photo Vignette
• Improved Filter Stylize -> Flare
• Improved GUI
• Fix Rendering Selection
• Fix Thumbnail Update on Discard
• Fix some thread bug
• Other bug fixes

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Posted in Citra FX, KIYUT | 3 Comments »

Netbeans Platform ClassLoader Trick

As you probably know in Netbeans Platform each module has its own ClassLoader. So if you want to load resources (eg: properties file, xml file, image file, etc) from another module basically you are out of luck.

Just out of my head, there are at least 2 solutions available:

1. Create Utility or Factory class in other module to return resources
2. Using other module ClassLoader to resolve the resources

However, if you are not careful the first method could lead to circular dependency problem. So I will focus on the second methods to get the resources from other modules using ClassLoader trick

Note: this is tested on Netbeans 6 beta1

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Posted in Citra FX, Java, Netbeans, Sketsa | 4 Comments »

Ekspos Image Viewer 0.8.8 released

KIYUT just released Ekspos Image Viewer 0.8.8, a platform independent Java image viewer program. It support most popular image format: JPEG, PNG, and GIF, where additional image format can be added through Java ImageIO plugin. It consists of 2 parts: shell browser and viewer. Shell browser allows you to navigate your image collection and you’ll be able to browse images in tree, detail, list, icon and thumbnail view. The viewer provide progressive view of images with zoom and pan capability.

It is licensed under revised BSD License.

Features:
- Image Format(Standard): JPEG, PNG, and GIF
- Support Java ImageIO plugin
- Support 4 views: detail, list, icon, and thumbnail
- Thumbnail caching for fast preview
- Written entirely in Java™

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Posted in Ekspos, KIYUT | No Comments »

Customize Netbeans Platform Splash Screen and About Dialog

During development of our product Sketsa SVG Editor, we need to customize the default Netbeans Platform About Dialog and splash screen as part our product branding.

Note: this is tested on Netbeans IDE 6-beta1

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Posted in Java, Netbeans, Sketsa | 39 Comments »